Page:Biographia Hibernica volume 2.djvu/91

 DER to lure. We have now filled up the sun-light of the picture, and there remains nothing but the odious task of enumerating the dark and disgusting shades that deformed i t . He was a n epitome o f every variety o f vice, and unblushingly avowed i t , without even making those excuses that most o f her votaries do; such as—“it was against my consent, but I was led into it;-it was unfortunate, but we are a l l the victims o f circumstances:”—Excuses, i n reality, a s frivolous a s they are despieable, but which have some weight i n the charitable eye o f the world, Derulody de spised this mental hypocrisy, and setting his arms a-kimbo, laid his hand upon his heart, and said fearlessly, “I am vicious, because I like it”.” SAMUEL DERRICK, An individual who united merit with folly, and wit with imprudence, was a native o f Ireland, and was born i n the year 1724. Being destined b y his parents for trade, h e was for some time placed with a linen-draper i n Dublin; but being possessed o f a thorough dislike t o business, h e quitted i t and his country about the year 1751, and arrived i n London, where he commenced author. Soon after his arrival i n the metropolis, h e indulged a n inclination which h e had imbibed for the stage, and unade his appearance i n the character o f Gloucester, i n Rowe's tragedy o f “Jane Shore,” a t the Haymarket theatre, but with s o little suc cess, that he bade adieu t o the buskin for ever. After this attempt, h e subsisted chiefly b y his writings; but having i n his disposition both profusion and profligacy, h e in dulged himself i n a l l the follies and excesses o f gallantry and gaming; and lived during the greater part o f h i s I have read somewhere, o f an individual a s remarkable for his prema ture profligacy, a s for his extraordinary attainments, who, o n being remon strated with for having spent a night o f intemperance and vice, replied, “that h e avowed the fact, but thought i t very hard, that after a month's intense application t o his studies, that h e could not indulge himself one night i n heart-cheering abandonment, without being reproved for it."